Florent Malouda Joins Trabzonspor On Free Transfer

With the summer transfer window now open, there is plenty of gossip doing the rounds in the newspapers so we’ll keep you up-to-date with the latest transfer rumours. Today, Florent Malouda joins Trabzonspor.

After being released by Chelsea at the end of last season, Florent Malouda has now joined Turkish outfit Trabzonspor on a Bosman free transfer, according to the Daily Mail, where he will reunite with his former teammate Didier Drogba in the Süper Lig

The 33-year-old was once a prominent figure at Stamford Bridge, but he fell out-of-favour during his last season with the Blues in which he was left out of Chelsea’s first team squad and had to train with the Under 21’s.

Chelsea paid £13.5million for the French winger in 2007 and he was the final signing of Jose Mourinho’s first reign at Stamford Bridge. Since his Premiership debut, Malouda adapted well to adapt to the fast pace of English football and he went on to enjoy five successful seasons with the Blues.

Malouda once had a pivotal role in Chelsea’s attack where he often lined up with fellow France international Nicolas Anelka and current Galatasaray star Didier Drogba.

It was during Carlo Ancelotti’s era at Stamford Bridge that saw Malouda enjoying the highlights of his career, when he found himself playing in a more central role on the left of Carlo Ancelotti’s preferred diamond formation in midfield.

During the 2009/2010 season, he scored 15 goals and provided 15 assists, which helped his side complete the English double. Also, the following season, he was Chelsea’s top league goal scorer with a total of 13 goals, ahead of the likes of Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Florent Malouda has featured in more than 200 games with the Blues. He was there when Chelsea dramatically lost the Champions League Final on penalties in Moscow in 2008, and he was also there when Chelsea won the Champions League Final on penalties in Munich in 2012.

Malouda has enjoyed a great spell in west London and Chelsea fans will certainly miss him. Unfortunately, his former employers never expressed gratitude for all his efforts. However, he isn’t the only ex-Chelsea player who never received a proper farewell. Joe Cole, Salomon Kalou, Juliano Belletti and many more have been forced out the door without a goodbye.

Hopefully he can resurrect his career in Turkey but he will always be fondly remembered by the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Chelsea fans; what are your favorite memories of Florent Malouda in his time at Chelsea?